By Amos Harris
The Cooperative Development Agency (CDA), in collaboration with the Rural Economic Transformation Project (RETRAP), has successfully concluded a three-day intensive capacity-building workshop designed to strengthen the skills of 10 selected staff members in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and Data Management.
The training, held at the CDA headquarters in Monrovia from October 21–23, 2026, forms part of ongoing efforts to enhance institutional capacity, modernize data collection systems, and promote effective service delivery to cooperative societies across Liberia.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, CDA Director-General Madam Lwopu G. Kandakai expressed appreciation to RETRAP for its continued support. She highlighted the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed between the CDA and RETRAP to bolster six targeted cooperatives across Bong, Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa, Margibi, and Bomi counties.
Madam Kandakai explained that the MoA prioritizes strengthening cooperative governance, improving institutional collaboration, delivering leadership training, and supporting annual audits for cooperatives benefiting from the RETRAP initiative.
She emphasized that the workshop was designed to build the CDA’s institutional capacity by establishing a comprehensive M&E framework to track cooperative development nationwide. Key goals include establishing a centralized digital database, introducing standardized monitoring indicators, and sharpening the agency’s ability to evaluate cooperative performance, compliance, and growth.
The CDA chief noted that improved monitoring and data management will drive evidence-based decision-making, reinforce accountability, and enable the agency to measure progress effectively across the sector. She urged the participating staff to act as agents of change in their assigned counties by applying their new skills to enhance field service delivery.
The workshop brought together technical personnel from the Program and Monitoring and Evaluation Department as well as the Field Services Department. Facilitated by external experts in data systems and evaluation, the sessions covered practical topics including digital data collection tools, quality assurance, M&E framework design, results-based reporting, and platform management for cooperative data.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, lead facilitator Wengo Varney of Foster Global Industries underscored the critical role of robust M&E systems in achieving sustainable development outcomes. He encouraged participants to apply their training to track cooperative performance accurately and improve reporting to international development partners.
Participants expressed gratitude to RETRAP and CDA management for the opportunity, describing the training as timely, practical, and highly relevant. They pledged to utilize their newly acquired skills to promote transparency, operational accountability, and data-driven decisions when engaging with farmers and cooperative societies.
This capacity-building initiative marks a significant step in the CDA’s efforts to modernize its operational systems, strengthen staff competencies, and elevate service standards for agricultural cooperatives across Liberia.
The Rural Economic Transformation Project is a Government of Liberia initiative funded by the World Bank. The project aims to boost agricultural productivity and expand market access for smallholder farmers and agribusinesses through direct support to cooperative societies and sector-wide agricultural programs.
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